About Us

Pediatric Cardiology Associates (PCA) specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital and acquired heart disease for pediatric and adult patients. The most common type of pediatric heart disease is congenital heart disease (CHD), meaning that children are born with it. Congenital heart defects can exist in adults, but are still considered CHD if the adult was born with the disease.

Our focus is on the care of the fetus, newborn, child, adolescent and adult with congenital or suspected congenital and acquired heart disease. In some cases, congenital heart disease can be diagnosed before a baby is born. Six of our physicians have an expertise in fetal cardiology and imaging of the fetal heart and cardiovascular physiology.

We pride ourselves on clinical excellence provided in an atmosphere of compassion and trust. Take great care of the patient, every day and in every way, is our mission. We know that visiting a pediatric cardiologist for the first time can be stressful. Our dedicated staff helps patients feel comfortable by helping them understand the evaluation process as well as their plan of care. It is our goal to provide the best in cardiac care to our patients and educate their entire family.

In order to better serve our patients, we maintain multiple convenient clinic locations throughout the Virginia and Maryland area.

Learn more about what to expect at your first visit

Should my child get the Covid Vaccine?

Our physicians are ​recommending the COVID vaccine for our age-appropriate patients, but ultimately it is entirely up the parents/family if they would like to proceed with the COVID vaccine. Our physicians believe the benefits of the vaccine clearly outweigh the risks of any possible side effects from the vaccine. If you have specific questions or concerns regarding the vaccine, you should contact your pediatrician or family physician. If the pediatrician/family physician has any specific concerns, they can reach out to us directly.

Echocardiography Lab

Our echocardiography lab is available for standard transthoracic and fetal echocardiograms and is certified by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), demonstrating our ongoing commitment to providing quality patient care. Other services include exercise stress testing, electrocardiograms, 24-hour Holter monitoring, event recordings and transesophageal echocardiography. Our team routinely assesses athletes with possible heart problems through our sports preparticipation screening evaluations.

Cardiovascular Specializations

All of our physicians care for infants, children and young adults with cardiovascular disease,as well as adults with congenital heart disease. Some of their particular interests include the following:

• Dr. Sherif Tawfik specializes in diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization for babies, children, and adults with congenital heart disease.
• Dr. Sharon Karr, Dr. Jin Park and Dr. Sarah Chambers specialize in the evaluation and management of the fetal heart during pregnancy.

IAC accreditation = Care you can count on

Pediatric Cardiology Associates is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) for transthoracic and fetal echocardiograms, demonstrating that we meet the highest standards in these areas. To become accredited, a facility must complete a detailed self-evaluation on all aspects of facility operation and submit confidential case studies to the IAC’s Board of Directors for review.

Our patients and referring providers can take comfort in knowing that:

• we have demonstrated our commitment to providing quality testing for the diagnosis of heart disorders and disease.
• we have been carefully evaluated on all operational aspects considered relevant by medical experts in the field of echocardiography.

We are proud of this designation and appreciate your trust in us.